第65章

"I was just going to come in, Mamma," she explained, "but Uncle Jed asked me to stay and talk to Mr.--I mean Major--Grover till he came back.He's gone out, but he won't be long.Mamma, this is Mr.

Major Grover, the one who kept Uncle Jed from being spied, over at the flying place that day when I found the plan paper and he made a shingle boat sail out of it."Ruth came forward.She had been walking along the edge of the bluff, looking out over the tumbled gray and white water, and the late October wind had tossed her hair and brought the color to her cheeks.She put out her hand.

"Oh, yes," she said."How do you do, Major Grover? I have heard a great deal about you since the day of Babbie's picnic.I'm sure Iowe you an apology for the trouble my small daughter must have caused that day."She and the major shook hands.The latter expressed himself as being very glad to meet Mrs.Armstrong.He looked as if he meant it.

"And no apologies are due, not from your side at least," he declared."If it had not been for your little girl our missing plan might have been missing yet."Fifteen minutes elapsed before the owner of the windmill shop returned.When he did come hurrying up the bluff and in at the back door, heated and out of breath, no one seemed to have missed him greatly.Major Grover, who might reasonably have been expected to show some irritation at his long wait, appeared quite oblivious of the fact that he had waited at all.He and Barbara were seated side by side upon a packing case, while Ruth occupied the chair.

When Jed came panting in it was Babbie who greeted him.

"Oh, Uncle Jed!" she exclaimed, "you just ought to have been here.

Mr.--I mean Major Grover has been telling Mamma and me about going up in a--in a diggible balloon.It was awf'ly interesting.Wasn't it, Mamma?"Her mother laughingly agreed that it was.Jed, whose hands were full, deposited his burden upon another packing case.The said burden consisted of no less than three motor car cranks.Grover regarded them with surprise.

"Where in the world did you get those?" he demanded."The last Isaw of you you were disappearing over that bank, apparently headed out to sea.Do you dig those things up on the flats hereabouts, like clams?"Jed rubbed his chin."Not's I know of," he replied."I borrowed these down at Joshua Rogers' garage.""Rogers' garage?" repeated Grover."That isn't near here, is it?""It is an eighth of a mile from here," declared Ruth."And not down by the beach, either.What do you mean, Jed?"Jed was standing by the front window, peeping out."Um-hm," he said, musingly, "they're still there, the whole lot of 'em, waitin'

for you to come out, Major....Hum...dear, dear! And they're all doubled up now laughin' ahead of time....Dear, dear! this is a world of disappointment, sure enough.""What ARE you talking about?" demanded Major Grover.

"JED!" exclaimed Ruth.

Barbara said nothing.She was accustomed to her Uncle Jed's vagaries and knew that, in his own good time, an explanation would be forthcoming.It came now.

"Why, you see," said Jed, "Phin Babbitt and the rest sendin' you over here to find a crank was their little joke.They're enjoyin'

it now.The one thing needed to make 'em happy for life is to see you come out of here empty-handed and so b'ilin' mad that you froth over.If you come out smilin' and with what you came after, why--why, then the cream of their joke has turned a little sour, as you might say.See?"Grover laughed."Yes, I see that plain enough," he agreed."And I'm certainly obliged to you.I owed those fellows one.But what I don't see is how you got those cranks by going down to the seashore.""W-e-e-ll, if I'd gone straight up the road to Rogers's our jokin'

friends would have known that's where the cranks came from.Iwanted 'em to think they came from right here.So I went over the bank back of the shop, where they couldn't see me, along the beach till I got abreast of Joshua's and then up across lots.I came back the way I went.I hope those things 'll fit, Major.One of 'em will, I guess likely."The major laughed again."I certainly am obliged to you, Mr.

Winslow," he said."And I must say you took a lot of trouble on my account."Jed sighed, although there was a little twinkle in his eye.

"'Twan't altogether on your account," he drawled."I owed 'em one, same as you did.I was the crank they sent you to."Their visitor bade Barbara and her mother good afternoon, gathered up his cranks and turned to the door.

"I'll step over and start the car," he said."Then I'll come back and return these things."Jed shook his head."I wouldn't," he said."You may stop again before you get back to Bayport.Rogers is in no hurry for 'em, he said so.You take 'em along and fetch 'em in next time you're over.I want you to call again anyhow and these cranks 'll make a good excuse for doin' it," he added.

"Oh, I see.Yes, so they will.With that understanding I'll take them along.Thanks again and good afternoon."He hastened across the street.The two in the shop watched from the window until the car started and moved out of sight.The group by the telegraph office seemed excited about something; they laughed no longer and there was considerable noisy argument.

Jed's lip twitched."'The best laid plans of mice--and skunks,'"he quoted, solemnly."Hm!...That Major Grover seems like a good sort of chap.""I think he's awful nice," declared Babbie.

Ruth said nothing.